Cats are relatively unaffected by eyelid disease, but eyelid disease can have a significant impact on eye and general health.
Clinical symptoms
1. Hypoplasia of the eyelid: It occurs occasionally and is the most common congenital anomaly of cat eyelid. Sequelae include exposure keratitis and mechanical irritation due to facial hair, which can contact the cornea when the eyelid is incomplete. These conditions can cause severe scarring, discomfort, and, if they cause deep corneal ulcers, loss of the eyeball.
2. Entropion of the eyelid margin: a less common condition in cats, many cases of entropion are secondary to irritation of the eye surface, resulting in blepharospasm and subsequent spasmodic entropion . Primary entropion occurs early in life, usually between the ages of 1 and 2 years, and is most common in brachycephalic breeds, including Persian (Garfield) and Maine Coon cats.
3. Blepharitis: It is manifested as eyelid swelling and hyperemia, and it also affects the conjunctiva to varying degrees. Depending on the duration of the disease, hair loss may occur on the skin around the eyes. Skin abrasions or ulcers may be present because of their traumatic nature and the onset or presentation of pain or itching.
4. Drug reactions: systemic and topical drugs can cause allergic reactions, leading to blepharitis, which is common in cats in multiple parts of the reaction to some commonly used ophthalmic drugs, including neomycin, polyamide Colistin B, bacitracin, gentamicin and oxytetracycline, etc.
5. Dermatomycosis (feline moss)/Skin parasitic disease (Demodex): usually manifests as hair loss, scaling and varying degrees of itching.
6. Eyelid tumors/squamous cell carcinoma: Rare cases of eyelid tumors diagnosed in cats.
Treatment
1. Cleaning: Keep the hair follicles in the eyelid area clean to prevent clogging and sebum overflow;
2. Anti-inflammatory and anti-infective treatment: intravenous injection of third-generation cephalosporin or oral anti-inflammatory pills can be used;
3. Antifungal treatment: oral itraconazole, external application Jing and other compound preparations;
4. Surgery: blepharoplasty repair surgery or tumor resection if necessary.
